


Tailgate Cold One Apology

by TheAverageWhiteGirl



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Inspired by Music, M/M, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 16:29:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12915756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAverageWhiteGirl/pseuds/TheAverageWhiteGirl
Summary: After his divorce, Link comes up with a plan to help him get back in touch with his true self.





	Tailgate Cold One Apology

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Luke Bryan's song "Drink A Beer"

Link stood with his head slumped down in between his shoulders.

He didn't care to look up at his reflection in the mirror. 

It didn't matter, nonetheless. 

What would he see anyway? 

Yes, of course, he would see him. But a broken down version of him. A downtrotted, empty, meaningless shell of a man. 

He didn't want to see that.

He didn't want to face the truth. 

The reality of his new life seemed impossible to comprehend. 

He was now single once again. Now divorced. 

It just seems like his life is meaningless without a wife to stand by his side. To love and support him through all endeavours. For good and bad times. 

But not anymore. 

Although there is one thing Link still doesn't understand. And that is...why?

Why did his wife just come to him one day, totally out of the blue, and say  _I don't think I can do this anymore._

_I don't think I can do this anymore._

Eight words. Just those eight simple words. Seemingly innocent when on there own but put together in one complete sentence is too much to bare. 

And Link is still having a hard time wondering why that is? 

What prompted his wife to say those words to him? In that way? In that sequence? 

He doesn't know. 

Suddenly, Link decided that he needed to stop feeling sorry for himself and about this newfound situation. 

Slowly, he lifted his head, meeting his own gaze in the reflection of the mirror. His face was streaked with tears; red and blotchy for crying so much. 

He just couldn't take it. And he wasn't about to spend another second feeling sorry for himself either. 

Link wiped away the remaining tears with the backs of his hands and brushed his hair back with his fingertips. He gave himself one last look over in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. 

He walked until he made it to the main set of Good Mythical Morning where he spotted his best buddy, Rhett, already seated at the desk, waiting to film the show. 

"There you are", Rhett breathed out a sigh of relief. 

Link remained standing as Rhett looked up at him from his chair. 

"Are you going to sit down?", Rhett questioned, taking in the hesitate swaying of his best friend. 

Link rubbed the back of his neck. "Can we actually reschedule filming for a while, there's something I have to do?" 

Before Rhett could get another word in edgewise, Link had already walked away. 

 

\---- 

Outside, Link walked over to his car and proceeded to get in. 

He sat in his car for a second, thinking that if he wasn't going to be married anymore, he certainly didn't have or want to be the only straight single guy livng in Los Angeles driving a freaking mini van. 

Which gave Link his next idea...

It was something he hasn't done in ages, despite having to do it all the time. Especially back home in North Carolina. 

Link smiled as he remembered how he used to drive his daddy's old pick up truck down dirt roads until eventually stopping at this one lake in the middle of nowhere. And how he used to sit on the back of the tailgate and stare out over the water while nonchalantly sipping beer and just be at peace. 

The whole experience was just so serene and it allowed him to clear his mind by just getting away from it all for a few hours. 

Almost anytime he got the chance, Rhett would steal the keys to his daddy's car and meet Link out there where they could just be themselves without anyone interrupting. It was just them; in private; secluded. Occasionally, they even stripped off their clothes and went skinny dipping in said lake. 

Link smiled to himself as he recalled the fondness of the happy memory and realised that that is exactly what he needs right now. 

Unfortunately though, L.A doesn't have a lot of back roads or even lakes. But they do have a lot gas stations selling ice cold beer. 

And with that, Link suddenly had the perfect plan to make himself feel whole again. 

 But first he needed a new car. 

\---- 

Shortly after leaving the parking lot of Mythical Entertainment, he had found himself pulling into a car dealership. 

If Link was going to make himself feel whole again, then he was going to do it right. And to do that, he needed a truck. 

About a half hour later he was sitting in the driver's seat of his new sleek black Ford F-150. 

Needless to say, but he felt cool. 

 

\----

After pulling out of the parking lot of the dealership, it only took Link about five minutes before pulling up to a gas station. Seeing as his car could use a drink too, he decided to fill up his tank. 

He walked into the gas station and immediately made a beeline for the beer aisle. 

Looking over his options, a young girl pushed him aside to grab a twelve pack of Bud Light. She had blonde hair and looked to be only in her early twenties. 

_I wonder if she knows who I am?_

Link thought this question over in his head for a moment. It was certainly possible considering she did look young enough to know what GMM is. 

As Link was thinking it over in his head he continued to peruse the options of beer before him. 

He heard a sweet voice to the side of him which immediately got his attention. 

"Oh my God, you're him!" 

Link looked up to find that the voice belonged to the girl and he couldn't help but smile. 

_Yes! She does know me!_

"You recognize me?", Link questioned, trying to play himself off as cool. 

The girl chuckled. "How could anyone not recognize when Link Neal stands before them" 

Link tried his hardest not to blush. He failed. 

"Can I get a picture?", The girl asked, holding her phone. 

Link nodded. "Sure". 

The girl put down the case of beer and put an arm around Link, permitting him to do the same to her. They got real close and snapped the photo. 

The girl pulled away, face down, admiring the picture. "This is insane", she looked up. "My husband and I are big fans of your show!" 

"Thank you"

"Is Rhett here?" 

Link laughed at that. "Nope. Just me" 

"Oh okay", the girl paused then muttered. "I prefer you anyways".

Link watched the girl pick up the case of beer and begin to walk towards the checkout counter. She looked back over her shoulder, "Bye, Link" 

Link smiled as he waved her off. He turned his attention back to the decision at hand. He recalled how that girl was buying Bud Light and like a light going off in his head, he had made his choice. 

Link opened up the door and reached for a twelve pack of Bud Light beer before going to the checkout counter himself. 

\---- 

 _Truck?_ Check. 

 _Beer?_ Check. 

Link mentally checked off all the things he needed to be successful in his plan. 

He decided that he had the essentials of his plan and now he just needed the perfect place. 

Seeming how he wouldn't be able to find a decent lake in L.A to save his life, Link just decided to drive over to Malibu. He had heard of this private area on the beach when you could pull your car up and watch the sunset. 

Granted, it wasn't a dirt road or a lake, but it was damn well close. 

\---- 

 

It was about a good forty-five minute drive but eventually Link had made it. 

Link couldn't help but smile as he pulled to a stop and quickly got out of the truck. 

He inhaled a deep breath of the salty sea air and with the sun on his face, he never felt more alive. 

He reached for the handle on the tailgate and pulled it down. Placing the beer down, he smiled and sat down next to it. 

Within seconds he was looking out over the deep blue of the Pacific, at peace, while the cool amber liquid flowed down his throat. 

_What divorce?_

Link smiled to himself as he watched the sun hit the horizon, and more and more slowly it began to get dark. 

\---- 

 

Link didn't even bother checking the time on his phone but he could tell it was getting late. 

But he didn't care. 

Not even when he looked behind him and saw headlights approaching. 

Not knowing what to expect, Link appeared unaffected. 

There was nothing to worry about anyways because the man that got out of the car was no other than the one person he only wanted to see. His best friend, Rhett. 

As Rhett got closer, Link spoke, "I take it you got my text" 

Rhett took in the sight of the shiny new truck. "Is this yours?" 

Link looked over at his friend. "It is now" 

"Nice". Rhett walked over and sat next to his friend. He reached for a beer and clinked his bottle with Link's. "This is nice" 

Link smiled. "Yeah". 

"It's like those days back in North Carolina" 

Link kept smiling. "Yeah". 

He was finally feeling happy again. 

\---- 

After a while, Rhett decided to speak up. 

"There's something I need to tell you". 

"What is it?", Link questioned. 

Rhett breathed out a sigh. "Let me just say first that, I love you" 

Link nodded his head as he looked over at his friend. "I love you too, Rhett", he paused before adding. "As a friend, that is" 

Rhett looked at Link. "That's not what I mean". He paused for a second, thinking just how he is going to word what he is about to say. "I mean, I like you as a friend but I...love you for you" 

"I love you for you too, Rhett", Link laughed. 

Rhett ran his hands over his face. "No! You don't get it" 

Link bumped Rhett's arm with his, playfully. "Enlighten me, then?" 

Rhett looked at Link. "I'm the reason your wife asked for a divorce". 

Link's smile fell upon hearing Rhett's words. 

_Why? What? How?_

Rhett began to defend his actions. "Look I know that sounds horrible, believe me I wish I didn't have to. It's just... I saw how miserable you were even when you didn't necessarily show it..." 

"...Rhett" 

Rhett continued. "But I just couldn't bare to see my best friend so unhappy, and..." 

"...Rhett!" 

Rhett continued. "I just want you to know that I'm the reason for it and if you don't want to see me anymore that's fine... But I..." 

"...Rhett!", Link finally yelled loud enough to get the other man's attention. 

Rhett was hesitate. "Yes..." 

Link looked up at his friend. "It's fine". 

"It is?", Rhett asked, confused. 

Link sighed. "I mean, am I happy about my marriage being over... No, of course not..." 

"...I'm sorry!", Rhett interrupted. 

"Thank you", Link replied before continuing. "And look if you were to admit this a few hours ago I would be rather pissed off but right now that's the last thing I want to be" 

"So we're good?" 

Link smiled. "Yes Rhett. We're good. In fact...", Link trailed off as he grabbed two more beers and handed one over to Rhett. "We couldn't be better". 

Link took a long swig of his beer. And he didn't know what he was, maybe it was the many beers he had already drank, but he suddely felt the need to rest his head down on Rhett's shoulder, and so that is exactly what he did. 

Rhett took notice almost immediately. "Um... Link?". He let out a slight chuckle. "You okay?" 

Link just smiled an unstoppable grin. "I've never been better". 


End file.
